Battleground Avenue Traffic Enforcement Campaign Shows Increase in Seatbelt Use GREENSBORO, NC (April 14, 2014) – A ten week campaign to reduce crashes and make a portion of Battleground Avenue safer showed mixed results compared to the same time period the year previous. Among the most noteworthy finding was a 17% increase in seatbelt use. From January 6, 2014 through March 21, 2014 more than a dozen officers focused their efforts on preventing and detecting unsafe driving on the nearly five-mile stretch between Horse Pen Creek Road and West Cornwallis Drive. The traffic safety campaign was suspended for approximately two weeks when the city was affected by several bouts of severe winter storms. Although the numbers of crashes and serious injury accidents remained the same, the estimated cost of property damage from collisions decreased by 16%, or $27,000. The top contributing behaviors to the 38 crashes during this period were: • Failure to reduce speed to avoid a collision • Following too closely • Failure to yield to right of way • Inattentiveness “These are the same unsafe behaviors that cause most crashes throughout the city,” explained Cpt. John Wolfe with the Special Operations Division. “We identified these crash contributors before we began the Battleground campaign, and continue to see drivers operating their vehicles in an unsafe manner even with increased police presence.” Other results of the Battleground Avenue traffic initiative include: • 1,009 traffic citations issued • Six wanted persons arrested • 80 warnings issued • Twenty criminal offenses identified An additional benefit from the campaign was a reduction in Part 1 Index Crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and auto theft). Within a quarter mile on both sides of the Battleground Avenue enforcement area, Part 1 Index Crimes were down 8% compared to the same period in 2013. A similar campaign was conducted on Wendover Avenue last August. This effort resulted in a 21% reduction in occupant injuries compared to the same period last year, and a 16.9% reduction in Part 1 Index Crimes. Other results from the eight week campaign included: • 947 traffic citations were issued • There was a slight increase in the number of crashes (just less than 3% compared to same period last year), however there was a 21% reduction in occupant injury • Property damage associated with these accidents showed a decrease of $23,750 (9%) • Traffic control device violations showed a decrease of 72% • Improper passing or turning showed a decrease of 68% The next traffic safety campaign will be on High Point Road between Patterson Avenue and Hilltop Road. It is tentatively scheduled to begin May 1, 2014.
Posted on: Mon, 14 Apr 2014 15:12:03 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015